Couch bed



C. 24, 1939. F HOFFMAN 2,177,353

COUCH BED Filed Sept. 25, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l IWVZZ? f WM/Kaff mmv Oct. 24, y1939. 4F. HOFFMAN coUcH BED Filed Sept. 25, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Oct. 24, 1939 PATENT OFFICE coUoH BED Frank Hoffman, Dorchester, Mass., assig'nor to New England Bedding Company, Medford, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application September 25, 1937, Serial No. 165,721

3 Claims.

I `This invention relates to couch beds of the extensible type and its principal objects are to provide a couch bed having back and armrests, a stationary section, and a movable section which may be automatically extended by manipulation ofthe arm rests to form a double bed accessible from either side without removing the back rest or any of the parts, and to provide a couch bed which is of simple construction, having but few parts, which is eflicient in operation and durable in use, and which can be manufactured and sold at a relatively low cost. Y Further objects relate to various features of construction and will be apparent from a considl5 .eration of the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a couch bed con- -structed in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. Zis an enlarged end elevation showing the `sectior'i's'in nested position; v

Fig. 3is an end elevation showing the movable section in extended position; and Fig. 4lA is a fragmentary section on the line 4-4 v0f Fig. 2j.,

j Ther particular embodiment chosen kfor the purpose of illustration comprises a main or movable section and a stationary section, designated 'generally'by the numerals I and 2, respectively (Fig, 3), both oi which sections may be of conventional construction. The main section I comprises a box-like structurehaving a front wall 4 and side walls 5 and'B, the rear wall being open so that the main section may be moved from about the 'stationary section. The top of the main section may be of the usual construction for supporting a pair of mattresses 9 which provide the seat cushion when the structure is used as a couch. The outer faces of the front and side `4,0 walls may be provided with a suitable nish, such as textile fabric which may be secured to the lower mattress so as to hold it in position and give the appearance of continuity therewith. The ends of the side wall are provided with the usual vertically extending angle irons whose lower ends are provided with casters or rollers I I which support the main section for movement to and from nested position.

The stationary section 2 may be of conventional construction, having longitudinally and transversely extending frame members I4 and I5 which carry the usual spring supporting structure and which are connected to legs or uprights I6. If desired, resilient guards 20 (Fig. 4) may be c provided on the inner face of the side walls 5 and G to preventl the transverse members I5 from binding against the side walls when the two sections are being moved to and from extended position.

The side walls 5 and 5 of the main section are 5 formed with centrally disposed, vertically extending recesses or channels 22 (Fig. 4) and upstanding brackets 23 are iirmly secured within the channels 22. rIhe upper ends of the brackets extend to about the tup of the section and are l0 provided with openings which receive pivot pins 24 for supporting a combination back and arm rest, designated generally by the numeral 25 (Fig. 2). As here shown, the back and arm rest consists of a U-shaped member 26 whose lower ends 15 are bent to provide U-shaped members or side rails 2l which constitute the arm rests. Intermediate L-shaped members 28 are integrally joined at their ends to the back and side rails and to the pivot pins 24 adjacent to their bent por- 20 tions, and a bar 29 is integrally joined at its ends to the legs of the member 26. If desired, the members 26 and 29, constituting a back rest and the members 2l and 28, constituting the sides and arm rests, may be chromium plated, enameled, or 25 otherwise iinished to enhance their appearance.

Laterally projecting lugs or angle irons 32 are secured to the side walls 5 and 6 intermediate the brackets 23 and the rear of the section, these lugs being positioned to support the back 30 rest in upright position when the structure is -used as a couch. The back rest, arm rests and associated parts areso constructed and arranged that when the arm rests are rotated about the pivot pins 2li, the back rest is carried over the 35 seat structure to a position contiguous to the front wall 4, as shown in Fig. 3, thus affording an unobstructed access to the movable section when used either as a section of a double bed or as one of a pair of twin beds. 40

In order to effect automatic movement of the sections from nested to extended position and back to nested position, I provide links which are constructed and arranged so as to cause the outer section to be pushed outwardly and pulled inwardly in response to rotation of the arm rests or members 21 in one direction or another. As here shown by way of illustration, the arrangement comprises a substantially L-shaped link 35 pvoted at 35 to the depending or vertical part of each arm rest 21, the lower end of the link being pivotally secured at 38 to the front end of a second link or supporting member 40 whose rear end is bent inwardly, as shown in Fig. 4, and 55 detachably secured to the inner section 2 by a pin and slot connection, indicated at 42.

The design of the link 35 and member 40 is such that when the sections are in nested position (Fig. 2) these parts are normally held in a position coinciding with the vertical and lower horizontal members of the arm rest by an inwardly extending lug 114, integral with the link 35, which engages the vertical member and prevents upward flexing movement of the member 40 and a corresponding inward movement of the link 35; and when the side arms are rotated through an angle of 180 the member 35 acts against the Vlink 40 to cause the outer section to bepushed to fully extended position, as shown in Fig. '3.

When used as a couch the mattresses 9 provide the seat cushion, and pillows may be arranged against the back rest in the usual manner, it being noted that the bars 28 and 29 are positioned to retain the cushions and pillows in place. When the struct-ure is to be used as a double bed or to vprovide tWin beds, the main or movable section may be easily extended by grasping one of the arm rests and rotating it through an angle of 180. However, it :may be necessary merely to rotate the arm rest through an-angle of to 120, thereby to bring the back rest past dead center, in. which position the backrest may then be permitted to dropdown t0 the position alongside of the front wall, as shown in Fig-3, the weight of the back rest being effective -to cause continued rotation of the arm rests, which automatically effects outward movement of lthe main section. When the sections are in extended position, the top mattress 9 may be transferred to the stationary section, thereby -providing a double bed, and, if desired, twin beds maybe formed Iby detaching the ends of the `linksilll from the inner Section. To move the sections back to nested position, it merely is necessary to rotate the arm restsL in the opposite direction, such movement being effective to cause the outer sectionto be pulled inwardly about the inner section.

It will be'noted that due to the "automatic movement of the outer section in 'response'to rotation ofthe arm rests, itis necessary 'that the user take a position at either 'end of the couch when rotating the arm rests Ato effect the extension ofthe sections, since any attemptto rotate the arm rests by reaching over and Ygrasping the back `rest 26 would result in the outer section immediately4 constitute the slightest obstruction to the movable section.

While I have shown and described one desirable embodiment of the invention, it should be understood that this disclosure is for the purpose of illustration and that lvarious changes in shape, proportion, and arrangement of parts, as Well as the substitution of equivalent elements for those herein shown and described, may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.

I claim:

`1. A couch bed of the class described, compris- Ving a stationary section, a box-like main section having a front, top and side walls enclosing said stationary section when in nested relation therewith, an upstanding bracket secured to each of the side walls ofsaid main section, an arm rest pivotally secured to each bracket, each arm rest having substantially horizontal and vertically extending parts, and actuating means for moving said main section to extended position in response torrotation of the arm rests,lsaid means comprising supporting members secured to the rear end of said stationary section and extending forwardly along the side walls of said main section, and links secured to the front ends of the supporting members and to thevvertically extending parts of the arm rests.

2. An extensible studio vcouch comprising a stationary bed and an overlying movable bed, means I holding saidbeds against separation, including a back rest pivotally mounted on the movable bed and mechanism connecting the two beds and operatively connected to the vback rest and operable by said back rest to move the movable bed with respect to the stationary bed to provide a larger sleeping surface, said back rest being pivotally mounted so as to turn about an axis disposed above the plane of the'top of the stationary bed and movable to a position to rest on the floor adjacent outer section either into a normal backsupporting position or into'a forward position clear ofthe top of said outer "section and means including a link and operatively connecting said back rest with said inner section whereby swinging the back rest to forward position extends said Vsections from their telescoped relationl and swinging the back rest to normal'position retracts said Vsections to telescoped relation.

FRANK HOFFMAN. 

